Ashelen, I don't know if she spoke in Danish (or at all) during her visit to the festival. None of the articles have mentioned it, and the video does not show her speaking.

I am glad to see that Marie returned to another event during the festival. Since she is the patron, and the festival lasted for more than one day, I was hoping that she would participate in more than one event. Marie and Joachim both look very relaxed in their casual "Tonder Festival" shirts.

Update-this article says that she was silent during the opening event, but that she was a very popular patron. When Marie attended the dinner at the end of the festival, she received a standing ovation from the guests at the dinner. It sounds like she did interact with the festival's volunteers, but whether she spoke in Danish or not remains a mystery.http://www.jv.dk/artikel/727692

__________________Be sure to visit the blog!"I look just like the girls next door...if you happen to live next door to an amusement park"-Dolly Parton

Ashelen, I don't know if she spoke in Danish (or at all) during her visit to the festival. None of the articles have mentioned it, and the video does not show her speaking.

I am glad to see that Marie returned to another event during the festival. Since she is the patron, and the festival lasted for more than one day, I was hoping that she would participate in more than one event. Marie and Joachim both look very relaxed in their casual "Tonder Festival" shirts.

Is that written toender festivel on their shirts? its nice to see Joachim with Marie at the party, it must give her great support. They both look dressed quite casual maybe it was a very casual party.

Yes, the logo on their shirts is the same logo for the Tonder Festival. The party that they attended was a very casual party given at the end of the festival as a way to say thank you to the hundreds of volunteers that worked at the festival. The festival itself was a rather casual event. People camp out at the festival, and it seems to be a very laid-back event.

__________________Be sure to visit the blog!"I look just like the girls next door...if you happen to live next door to an amusement park"-Dolly Parton

The article says that she caught herself making a mistake by forgetting the word "er" which translates to "is" in English, and wrote the word above the line where it belonged. The author says that Marie told the festival organizers to greet her only in Danish; it wasn't necessary to greet her in English.

__________________Be sure to visit the blog!"I look just like the girls next door...if you happen to live next door to an amusement park"-Dolly Parton

The article says that she caught herself making a mistake by forgetting the word "er" which translates to "is" in English, and wrote the word above the line where it belonged. The author says that Marie told the festival organizers to greet her only in Danish; it wasn't necessary to greet her in English.

I really am very disappointed in Marie. Seems she could have spent some time to study how to sign the book properly. I just do not think she understands her position in the DRF. She understands the perks perfectly, but the working part of it seems to be ignored.

I really am very disappointed in Marie. Seems she could have spent some time to study how to sign the book properly. I just do not think she understands her position in the DRF. She understands the perks perfectly, but the working part of it seems to be ignored.

I have to disagree. Marie has only been a member of the Danish Royal Family for little over a year. She is still learning. From reading posts from Danish members I am of the opinion that Danish is a very difficult language to learn. Perhaps Marie is finding it difficult but if she is still persisting this has to be admired. She has also had to become a step-mother and public figure and then mother in a relatively short space. I admire her for her bubbly personality and her obvious dedication to her husband and family

This is all true. She has had to become a stepmother, but the boys are usually in Copenhagen, while she and Joachim are in Jutland, so it isn't living together on a day to day basis, like Martin.

She does have to learn Danish, though, nothing about still persisting. She had her first baby right away, that could have been expected, as she is already in her 30s and Joachim in his late 30s.

That age brings a certain level of maturity that carries her through royal events with grace. She is not a teenager, or just ut of her teens, as Diana was when she married Charles. She also work experience in the US and Switzerland, as well as vacations with Joachim at least in France and Turkey in addition to many visits in Denmark prior to the engagement.

All in all, she had a pretty good idea of what becoming a princess of the realm would entail and is now getting on with it.

I have heard that Danish isn't so difficult when you speak for example Dutch, but I think Danish is about as difficult to learn as Dutch, and what I've heard is that Dutch is pretty difficult.

So what I mean is that we can't expect thas she has learned it right away, I think she has made a progress during her time since she became a princess. It's not like she is so important as her sister in law.

Btw : isn't it better to continue this discussion in the propper topic ?

Being a patron of a Danish organization entails the topic of speaking Danish when acting as such, it is hard to split one from the other.

Otherwise, the comments are all pretty much based on the appearance at the event, or who was or wasn't present, which becomes repetitive and empty.

If Marie asked the organizers to greet her in Danish, that is very good. It does take about 7 years to become fluent. Right now she is speaking Danish at a novice level, but that is where everyone starts, isn't it? There is nothing wrong with that. The more she practices, the better she will become, this is obvious and holds true for learning any language.

I really am very disappointed in Marie. Seems she could have spent some time to study how to sign the book properly. I just do not think she understands her position in the DRF. She understands the perks perfectly, but the working part of it seems to be ignored.

i disagree completely. marie has shown in such little time her progress in danish (which according to what her sister in law said it's a hard language to learn), and now you are nailing her to the wall for forgetting to write "is" in the book? i think you can hardly say she knows the perks very well: i don't think we have seen marie out on holidays or profitting for her new status that much for you to say that.

The Tønder Festival is a folk music festival and it has been around for many years.
It's not bad, I've been there a couple of times, mainly to listen to the Irish bands.

I've read today in newspapers that Hollywood actor Tim Bobbins is creating a folk band...and he will give some shows in Europe this year, may be his band could be an addition to the Tonder Festival in 2011